After Dinner Mint or Gum?

After Dinner Mint or Gum?

You just finished a delicious meal on a first date and now you are afraid to open your mouth. Maybe fajitas weren’t such a good choice. The Pico de Gallo has now got your breath smelling like you brushed your teeth with an onion peel.

Help! Quick, reach for a breath mint or maybe a piece of gum. Which one is better, though? Do you know which of the two is the better choice to freshen your breath and for your oral health? The answer is gum. But do you know why? Let’s review.

Why Gum is Better than an After Dinner Mint

It may seem complicated, why you should choose gum over a mint, but really the answer is relatively simple. First off, mints tend to sit in one place in your mouth, generally right on your teeth. This means that the sugars present in the mint have more of an opportunity to contribute to decay. Additionally, mints do not last all that long, which means that you will need more than just one to get the job done. That means even more sugar sitting on your teeth. Not good.

Gum on the other hand, is not only more effective at hiding bad breath or after dinner breath, but it also can be good for your teeth. Imagine that! Xylitol gums have major dental benefits that extend from killing bad breath germs to protecting against tooth decay.

Xylitol gums are sugar-free and so you do not have to worry about the harmful effects of sugar on your oral health. The best part is that Xylitol chewing gums have less calories than regular gum and breath mints.

The bottom line is that if ever faced with the seemingly difficult situation where you have to choose gum or a breath mint, go with gum every time!

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